MUSEUM OFFICIAL SAYS HE FORGED TO SPEED PERMIT PROCESS.Byline: Don Holland Daily News Staff Writer Charged with perjury perjury (pûr`jərē), in criminal law, the act of willfully and knowingly stating a falsehood under oath or under affirmation in judicial or administrative proceedings. and forgery, the former director of the Fillmore Museum of Natural History conceded Monday that he signed a veterinarian's name on wildlife documents, but said he did so to cut through bureaucratic red tape. Karl D. Anderson, whose educational animal shows have been popular around the state and beyond, was arrested June 13 on suspicion of forging a signature in January on a state Fish and Game application to possess three restricted species - a wallaby wallaby: see kangaroo. wallaby Any of about 25 species of medium-sized kangaroos, found chiefly in Australia. Brush wallabies (11 species) are built like the big kangaroos but differ in dentition. Rock wallabies live among rocks, usually near water. , a crocodile and a sugar glider sugar glider Noun a common phalanger that glides from tree to tree feeding on insects and nectar , which is similar to a flying squirrel flying squirrel, name for certain nocturnal tree squirrels adapted for gliding; they do not actually fly. Most are found in Asia, but one species of the genus Pteromys extends into SE Europe and the two species of Glaucomys are found in North America. . ``When they got those (documents) to me, I had two days to get them back into Sacramento,'' said Anderson, 44. ``I panicked because they were looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. a reason in Sacramento to not renew our permits.'' Anderson said he exchanged phone messages with his veterinarian veterinarian /vet·er·i·nar·i·an/ (vet?er-i-nar´e-an) a person trained and authorized to practice veterinary medicine and surgery; a doctor of veterinary medicine. vet·er·i·nar·i·an n. , Daniel Levenson, who Anderson said indicated he would sign the documents when he returned from a weeklong trip. ``I'm not saying I didn't do anything wrong,'' Anderson said. ``Technically, those animals were in our possession before we had the permits back from Sacramento. But I think in front of a jury, if they were to examine the whole situation they'd say: Look, he was permitted for over 430 species. These people are doing good things out there, teaching kids about animals. Yeah, he had these three before he got the permits, but that doesn't make him a criminal.'' Anderson is charged with two counts of perjury and one count of forgery. If convicted, he could receive six years or more in prison. Prosecutors upgraded the forgery count from a misdemeanor to a felony. Deputy District Attorney Laurel McLaughlin said she could not comment on the reason for the enhanced charge, but she disputed Anderson's claim. ``It's our contention that he signed (the documents) without permission,'' McLaughlin said. ``It wasn't the kind of situation that the vet said go ahead and sign.'' Anderson is currently on probation for a November conviction on five misdemeanor counts relating to possession and caging of prohibited animals. In sentencing Anderson to probation last fall, the judge said jail time was not warranted because none of the unpermitted animals had been mistreated. Anderson remains free pending arraignment A criminal proceeding at which the defendant is officially called before a court of competent jurisdiction, informed of the offense charged in the complaint, information, indictment, or other charging document, and asked to enter a plea of guilty, not guilty, or as otherwise permitted , which is scheduled for July 20. |
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